Explore the 12 Apostles and Great Ocean Road without the crowds on this Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour! Your day trip includes all the highlights of the standard direction tour but visits the Apostles and the Shipwreck Coast in the morning instead of the afternoon. By going against the flow of traffic you will avoid the busy tourist crowds, allowing us to make the most of all this stunning region has to offer.
Highlights
- World Famous Great Ocean Road
- The iconic Twelve Apostles without the crowds
- Historic Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch
- Surf Coast beaches and seaside towns
- Australian flora and fauna sightings
- Loch Ard Gorge
- Stop in the coastal town of Apollo Bay
- Rainforest walk through the Great Otways National Park
Inclusions
- Light Picnic Lunch
- All National Park Entry Fees
- A friendly driver/guide & informative tour commentary
- Inner city hotel pick up and drop off
- Audio translation Smartphone app in 10 languages
- Download the App now from the Apple App Store or Google Play
Autopia Tours operates this tour.
Operates dates
MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN |
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●Departs all year round except 25th Dec & 1st Jan
Google & TripAdvisor Reviews
- Fantastic day on the Great Ocean Road with our driver Nate. He provided lots of information on various locations throughout the day on the intercom and was available to answer any questions while we were stopped. We loved all the stops. The recommendations for food at Apollo Bay were excellent.Cormac Harraghy4/07/2023
- Yesterday I came back from the Great Ocean Road + Grampians tour. The tourguide, Tim, was amazing: even the music was thought through. He had lots of stories to tell. A very caring and fun man. Further... The hostel was nice. Breakfast was above expectations. The sights were great. Overall a very very good experience. Recommend to everyone!Evy van Weelden1/23/2021
- Fantastic trip Very satisfied with this trip. Stopped at some beautiful sites along the way on great ocean road. Lovely walks around the grampians national park and stunning view points. Our guide (tara) was just great she made everything very clear and tells some interesting stories about the sites we are visiting and passing. Would highly recommendLance I3/12/2020
- It worth it even if it is raining! The Twelve Apostles, plus the Great Ocean Road, is a must-see for anyone visiting Melbourne. It worths the day spent on it, even if the weather is not great. I recommend this tour of the Wildlife Tours Australia: positive benefit-cost ratio and the guide (Alan) was careful and shared the right amount of information.dfucs10/21/2019
- A great day out! We really enjoyed our Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour with Wildlife Tours Australia. Our tour guide Lewis was great - shared so much about Australia’s history, environment, people and above all wildlife. We saw three koalas up at the Kennett River and the Great Ocean Road views were amazing. Highly recommend!Deborah BB8/11/2019
- Great way to visit the Great Ocean Road Had an amazing day visiting the Great Ocean Road with a small group. Visited beautiful places, and learned a lot thanks to our tour guide Lewis! Liked the fact that it was reversed because we avoided big crowds, and the drive back home was short. Would definitely recommend!Gunnvor B.5/06/2019
- Great Ocean Road 1 Day Tour My two friends and I did the one day tour of the Great Ocean Road with Tim as our guide. He was awesome! We loved his music playlist on the bus - made the trip much more enjoyable! We stopped at beautiful places and got to see wild koalas and parrots. Definitely recommend this tour!Catherine V4/24/2019
- Great tour We saw some fabulous country in our 2 day/1 night tour of the Great Ocean Road and Grampians. Our guide, Gerry, knew so much about the local area and the history and geomorphology of the landforms we saw...it was a great tour, with plenty of opportunity to stop and walk around.sallyanne9920154/06/2019
- Ivar We had a great ocean road tour with vist to rainforest. Well organized, lots to see tour. Must to do if you're in Melbourn and have all day to fill. Yes, it's a long day (14 hours in our case) but we get many happy memories and hundreds great pics. Very friendly guide Andrew. Thank you!Ivar P3/20/2019
- GreatTour! Amazing wildlife! We took the 3 day trip from Melbourne to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road And Grampians. It was a great trip. Our tour guide Jerry was amazing, he was extremely knowledgeable and very passionate about the wildlife. We learned a lot and loved the scenery and wildlife sightings.Sue E2/27/2019
- Reverse Great Ocean Road Had a great day on the Great Ocean Road with Hiro as our guide. He gave us lots of information in a lively and interesting way. Seeing the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge was stunning. We were also lucky to see several koalas in the wild. A great day out.Jacqueline M2/23/2019
- I went to the Great Ocean Road with Wildlife Tours and hands down was one of the best experiences I’ve had with a tour agency. Driver has a lot of knowledge about the places we visited and also is a very friendly person. The highlight of the tour was 12 apostles, was amazing!! Highly recommend it!Emmanuel Robert1/23/2019
- Alles perfekt, super Tour, toller Guide! 2-Daytrip great ocean road & Grampians:+ top organisiert+ viele Stops bei Lookouts, kurze Walks+ Guide Ash hat sich um alles bestens gekümmert, super freundlich und sehr hilfsbereit! Er wollte immer das Beste für alle!+ interessante Hintergrundstories- vielleicht könnte man noch einen kurzen Badestopp einbauen bei den Wasserfällen, dafür war zu wenig ZeitMelina P1/15/2019
- 1 Day Great Ocean Road Tour... A cool way to see the Great Ocean Road if you only have 1 day - our guide Fiona was great, sharing her knowledge & passion of the area throughout the day. Stops along the way for morning Coffee & lunch - the last 2 stops of the 12 Apostles & Loch Ard Bay are fantastic!dewy1471/15/2019
- 3 Days Tour from Melbourne to Adelaide A wonderful 3 day tour from Melbourne to Adelaide. Along the Great Ocean Road and seen the 12 Apostles. The beautiful wildlife Koalas, kangaroos and emus. Despite rain an amazing hiking tour in the Grampians, At the foot stood the pink lake. A big thank you to our guide Fraser, he is professional, resourceful, funny .Katharina Gruber12/17/2018
- Great Ocean Road Tour I did the Reverse Great Ocean Road Tour with Wildlife Tours and it was bloody amazing! It's the reverse one, so it was not crowded at all and I absolutely loved all the places we went to. Our guide was amazing and the lunch + dinner was excellent! Thank you Wildlife Tours for making my day so amazing 🙂Melanie12/02/2017
- Awesome 2 day/1 night Great Ocean Road & Grampians National Park tour I recently took this tour on 28 August 2017 and had a fantastic time. Our tour guide Dave is very knowledgeable and very passionate about ensuring everyone will have a good experience. The Great Ocean Road scenic drive was beautiful. 12 Apostle was amazing. This tour definitely delivers. Seen kangaroo and koalas. Accommodation at Neds Bed is very good. Highly recommended.Quynh N9/25/2017
- La meilleure manière d'explorer le Great Ocean Road La réservation (approx $100Cad) inclus la cueillette à notre hôtel ainsi que le retour sur place, et une visite d'une partie du Great Ocean Road (le Otway National Park) sur une distance de 550km aller-retour. Visite incontournable des 12 Sisters, une journée bien remplie.Leplateau3/07/2017
- Awesome Fantastic tour foing directly to 12 apostles and coming back by great ocean road. The tour started at 7am and finished at 9pm, it was long but even though I was not feeling tired because the guide was really really good (STEVE), the food was good also (pizza by the dinner), all the stops had interesting things to do, I reccomend!Cris Favalli3/07/2017
- I had a really great time. I did the 3 days Great Ocean Road and Grampians tour. It was fun to experience the nature with a group of fellow travelers. And the driver made a huge difference. Darren is very knowledgable and fun to hang around with. He cooked for us and stayed with us overnights at the hostels.Lutz Büch1/23/2017
- Long day but worth it! Booked two tours with this company. Great Ocean Road and Rainforest Tour was definitely worth it. Tours are on a minibus so small groups and much better than large coaches. Had an excellent guide, Daniel F who was informative, friendly and helpful. Picked up and dropped back near to hotel.100Shelly8/07/2016
- Great Ocean Road Tour?? FABULOUS!!! Great Ocean Road Tour -- Reverse... Breath taking views of The South Australia coastline. London Bridge, 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Surf beach at Apollo Bay, a rainforest with very unique trees, and a chance to see wild koalas!! A Fabulous day on the road with tour guide, Kelly... Thank you!! Great solo, as couples, families, or friends!ColClayton5/22/2016
- Excellent tour, perfect tourguide! I did the 2-day-tour; Great Ocean Road and the Grampians.It was excellent! Tourguide Dave did a good job and was very knowledgeable. We did see so many nice things and had a very good group!I would really recommend this tour to everyone, especially with tourguide Dave 🙂Ing E4/06/2016
- Great ocean road I did the one day tour to the great ocean road. It was simply amazing! The places were incredibly beautiful, the food was nice... Our driver and guide Tim was the best that I have ever seen! He just knew everything about the place, and told us the stories of Australia and the places we were visiting. I totally recommend!!Francielle D1/21/2016
- Great Ocean Road day trip Went on the Great Ocean Road trip with Darren and had a fantastic time. Not only is he extremely knowledgable but he makes the facts fun and relatable to every member in the bus. If I could rate this trip higher, I would. Thank you for a wonderful day Darren!Brittney F1/17/2016
- Eleven out of ten for this trip. Absolutely superb trip on The Great Ocean Road. Rob L was the best tour guide I have EVER met. Wealth of knowledge was immense. He couldn't do enough for his clients and went out of his way to make sure everyone was happy. I repeat: this was the best tour and best guide ever.kindredspiritIreland1/14/2016
- Great Ocean Road I went on the great ocean road 1 day tour, and the tour guide for that day was Mr. Tim. It was a fantastic tour and experience, as Tim was very knowledgeable abut the historical events on the tour, wildlife plants and animals and shared many insights on the same. I had a great day, thanks to Tim.Lavanya_r200010/30/2015
- Amazing Tour Me and my friend did the 2 day Great Ocean Road and Grampians tour. It was incredible, we had a really good and careble guide. He could tell us a lot of information and he had a big passion for his profession although it's hard work. I would definitely book a tour with Wild Life again!Anka v5/04/2015
- Great experience! Joined the 3D2N Great Ocean Road & Grampians tour. Overall, it was a wery organized and well-planned tour! Our guide Craig/Bones was a lively and very experienced guide who made the tour a very fruitful experience, and we were brought to all the nice lookouts for the best views and photos! A truly recommended experience!AmandaW1234510/27/2014
- A memorable day on the Great Ocean Road We had a wonderful day on the Great Ocean Road! The day was beautifully paced and our tour guide Ben was wonderful! The scenery was of course breathtaking, but Ben's enthusiasm and expert story-telling really made the day memorable. Was a great day overall and would recommend this tour to anyone.theexcalibre7/13/2014
- Melbourne rocked with Wildlife We has a wonderful week in melbourne in Wildlife's hands- From Penguins to wines at the Yarra to the Great Ocean Road to Lake Mountains's Winter wonderland- Great people who lovewhat they're doing and it shows!You can't see Melbourne without them!!!workinforcruisin6/10/2014
- Amazing Experience, Superb Guide We went for 1 day tour of Great Ocean Road including 12 Apostles. We had a wonderful time and took some really cool pictures. Our guide Henning was really icing of the cake with his narrations and great photography skills. I would recommend this tour to all ....Vishu20143/09/2014
- Three day Melbourne to Adelaide Great Ocean Road I enjoyed this tour very much. The tour took in a LOT of sights in just three days, and went to the Grampians as well as the Great Ocean Road. Our driver-guide was Tom and he entertained the group not just with knowledgeable stories but also entertaining and highly apt song choices along the way. Good times.Mat1lda3/19/2013
- Hi jus finished the 2 day great ocean trip. Was a ggreat appetizer for the great ocean road & got a glimpse of so many things, planned to perfection. Henning was an excellent & knowledgeable guide. Had 20 members from 8 different countries & we all gel very well. Was great fun. Jeyjeyanth rose1/23/2013
- Great value for money and awesome sights We did the 2 day great ocean road and Philip island tour and it was fab! Our tour guide yvette was knowledgable and really up beat. You'd never be able to see so much if you drove it by yourself. the food was great 🙂 highly recommend this tour to budget travellersemilylroberts2/10/2012
- Stunning scenery and views - Great Ocean Road day tour. We booked the 1 Day Great Ocean Road - With Helicopter Flight tour ($170pp).Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and accommodating of all passengers. It was a long day but definitely worth the time and money spent.Helicopter flight duration is no longer than 10 minutes.Certainly one of Australia's treasures, with stunning scenery and views along the way.MB__Aussie11/30/2011
itinerary
Our Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour is perfect for those wishing to take the route less travelled. We cover all the itinerary points of the Great Ocean Road and Rainforest tour (including the rainforest) but avoid the crowds!
It means we drive for a bit longer in the morning, inland through country roads, to come out on the Shipwreck Coast at about 11 am. We then explore Port Campbell national park, including the 12 Apostles, with far fewer buses. Due to the more remote location at this end of the road, we have a fresh sandwich lunch which can be enjoyed at one of the stops along the way. If you are happy to avoid the crowds and have Lunch on the go, this will probably be the tour for you! We then return to Melbourne in an easterly direction taking in the Surf Coast along the way.
Arrive at the 12 Apostles before the crowds
We take time to admire the fantastic Limestone stack formations with minimal other tourists. If you are keen to take to the skies and add a helicopter ride over the Apostles to your experience, this is the tour for you! Taking your time to walk along the boardwalks and capture perfect photos of the Twelve Apostles in the morning sun is breathtaking.
Visit Loch Ard Gorge, or Island Archway & The Razorback
Also in the National Park, we head down to Loch Ard Gorge, the site of one of Australia’s most well know shipwrecks, and hear the dramatic tale of Tom and Eva.
Take time to walk down onto the beach and get sand between your toes, or walk over the top of the Gorge and find the Island Archway and Razorback rock formations.
Enjoy Lunch at a 12 Apostles lookout (weather permitting)
A fresh sandwich lunch is included on this tour. As the Shipwreck Coast is a more remote part of the road, we bring sandwiches made by our baker in the morning with us, so we can enjoy Lunch on the go while we get out into the action. This is one of the main differences between our Regular and Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour, so if you prefer a hot lunch in a cafe, you may be more inclined to take the One Day Great Ocean Road and Rainforest Walk Tour. However, if you are happy having Lunch on the go to avoid the crowds, then the Reverse Tour might be more your style of travelling!
Great Otway National Park Rainforest Walk
We then depart just as other tour buses start to arrive. We head eastward along the Great Ocean Road; coming inland, we drive through towering Eucalyptus trees until we arrive at a patch of Cool, Temperate Rainforest. These trees provide perfect canopy shade and originate from when Australia was part of a supercontinent. You will be amazed at the difference in the scenery as we take a walk through the tree ferns and marvel at the ”ancient relics” of the Myrtle Beach trees.
Explore Apollo Bay
We make a quick comfort stop in Apollo Bay. Apollo Bay is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Victorians. You will quickly see why. Take a stroll along the beach or quickly look at some local shops. Perhaps you might like to purchase an ice cream? We will stop for approximately 15-20 minutes.
Embark on the Great Ocean Road clifftop drive
Travel high into the clifftops of Southern Victoria’s coastline winding high above the ocean. From Apollo Bay, your journey continues along the Great Ocean Road. However, it’s only now you begin to see now why this road is world-famous. In this journey section, we will discuss the history of the Great Ocean Road while you enjoy the stunning sunset ocean views.
Search for Australian flora and fauna
Along this section of the Great Ocean Road, we will make stops along the way in search for wildlife. We cannot guarantee where they will appear, but our knowledgeable guides know all the best spots to search for them.
The Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch
A monument to mark the original starting point of the Great Ocean Road. The Great Ocean Road is the world’s largest War Memorial. Take some photos at the iconic Memorial Arch and a lesson on the history of the soldiers who built this road and dedicated it to their fallen comrades. From here, we will continue winding past more stunning views.
Return to Melbourne
Time for some more wildlife spotting as dusk settles in and our marsupials become more active. You will have the chance to purchase dinner at a convenient stop on the way back to Melbourne. However, as we have already done the long drive in the morning, it is an easy hour back home to the city, arriving at approx 8.30 pm.
We are often asked if we miss anything by taking the Reverse tour, and the answer is no! All inclusions of the regular Great Ocean Road Tour are covered, with the main difference being Lunch on the go and the absence of crowds! If you are adventurous and like getting off the beaten track, then we are sure you will love this Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour.
Also, Wildlife Tours Company offers Yarra Valley Wine Tours to help you explore the best wineries in Australia’s oldest wine region. Our Yarra Valley Wine Tours are a great way to sample some of the finest wines the area has to offer while enjoying the picturesque countryside. We provide transportation and an experienced tour guide who can take you to some of the region’s most acclaimed wineries and help you select a wine-tasting package. As part of our Yarra Valley Wine Tour, we also provide lunch or dinner at one of Yarra Valley’s highly-rated restaurants. You will surely have a memorable experience with Wildlife Tours Company, and we look forward to helping you discover Yarra Valley’s plentiful wineries and vineyards. Our Yarra Valley and Hunter Valley Wine Tours are the perfect way to experience this iconic wine region! Book your Yarra Valley Wine Tour with Wildlife Tour Company today.
Pick up Times & Locations
Our central meeting point for this trip will be the Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders St, Melbourne at 7:35am. The bus will be waiting on the Market st side of the Immigration Museum.
- 6:55 - Pegasus Apartments Hotel – 206 A’Beckett St, Melbourne
- 7:00 - Melbourne Marriott Hotel - Cnr Exhibition St Lonsdale St, Melbourne
- 7:05 - Space Hotel - 380 Russell St, Melbourne
- 7:10 - Grand Hyatt Melbourne - Russell St entrance, Melbourne
- 7:20 - Adina Apartment Hotel - 189 Queen St, Melbourne
- 7:25 – The Savoy Hotel – 630 Little Collins St, Melbourne
- 7:35 – Immigration Museum (east-side), 400 Flinders St corner of Market St, Melbourne
- 7:40 - Crown Towers - 8 Whiteman St Queens Bridge St, Southbank
*It is strongly recommended that you arrive at your pickup location at least 10 minutes before departure time. Please be patient and do not panic if your bus is running a few minutes late. If your bus has not picked you up within 10 minutes of your departure time, then contact our office on 03 9393 1300
Pricing & Package Deal Discounts
Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour includes lunch – $145 Adult (13+), $105 Child (0 to 12)
Optional Extras:
Helicopter flight over the 12 apostles – $155 (subject to availability – payable direct on the day)
Not sure about a group tour? We can help you organise your own private tour of the Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour. You can create your own tailor-made trip or follow our itinerary. Contact our charters team for more information at charters@gltg.com.au or visit our charters page.
What you need to bring?
- Water bottle
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Warm and cool clothing
- Rain jacket
- Camera
- A sense of adventure
11 thoughts on “1 Day Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour (with lunch)”
Had an amazing tour despite the mist and the rain. Our guide Hiro was super interesting and I learned that all the vegemite of the country is produced only in one factory, in Melbourne. We went through the Melba Gully Rainforest and it was really exotic! We obviously saw the 12 Apostles and the Lord Arch Gorge which was so huge and so beautiful to see! It was reaaaally windy, which made the experience even better at some points. We also saw the famous Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch!
I recommand this tour for sure if you’re coming in Melbourne!
Had a wonderful day with a great mix of people from all over the world. Saw the 12 Apostles, feet in the ocean at the Loch Ard Gorge, went for a rainforest walk and saw huge tree ferns and eucalyptus trees, learned the history of the Great Ocean Road. Close encounter with koalas and colourful native birds and saw paddocks of kangaroos! Entertained by driver and guide Simon C. Definitely grab an icecream from Apollo Bay (or something else to eat because it might be a late return to Melbourne. The Aussie tourists on board provided sample vegemite sandwiches! A great day was had by all.
We had a great tour with reversing great Ocean Road. No crowd at 12 Apostles and beautiful lights on the rocks. Thank you to our guide. Lunch was ok.
What a cracking day out. Highly recommend doing the Great Ocean Road in reverse. We saw the Twelve Apostles with not as many tourists as thought we would and loved the Rainforest Walk! Cheers to Jason our guide.
This was a very professional tour, our guide Tim was very insightful and provided great commentary throughout. By taking the reverse route, we were able to take in the sights with fewer crowds. The tour also provided free morning tea/coffee, lunch, and dinner. All in all, a must do in Melbourne and an excellent value for $135.
This was a very professional tour, our guide Tim was very insightful and provided great commentary throughout. By taking the reverse route, we were able to take in the sights with fewer crowds. The tour also provided free morning tea/coffee, lunch, and dinner. All in all, a must do in Melbourne and an excellent value for $135.
This is my favourite out of the few tours I did with wildlife Melbourne Tours Australia. The views were awesome and thankfully it was sunny that day.
Our guide was John K and he is the best guide so far. He told us historical stories and details about the places which was really interesting. While we were on the rainforest hike I came back and saw him cleaning the bus windows and I really appreciated that. Sometimes debris sticks onto the windows because of the cold and it’s hard to take photos and see out the windows.
Thank you John K! I had a great day!
Did the reverse Great Ocean Road tour. Doing it in reverse really helped with crowds – all of the places we started at had very small crowds. Out group size was nice and small and the tour guide was knowledgeable, entertaining, and really funny. We got to see so much stuff during the day, but never felt rushed. Was awesome to have a shorter drive at the end of the day since we were returning to Melbourne the whole time.
The Great Ocean Road is beautiful no matter how you see it, but I would definitely recommend this as one of the better choices.
We did the 1 day Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour and it was awesome! Before I say anything else, I must mention CHARLIE, our tour guide. His entertaining commentary and briefing on every place kept us really cheered up throughout the whole day. He was very friendly and knowledgeable.
If anyone is looking for enjoying the magnificent views of 12 apostles without the hassle and bustle of a big crowd, I would surely recommend the reverse tour. The tour bus picked us up from our hotel around 7:15 and arrived at 12 apostles around 11.30 am and not much crowd at that time. I am out of words to describe the view. It’s more than worth every penny. There was plenty of time to spend at Loch ard gorge, Gibson Steps etc. Also the walk through the Otway rain forest was mesmerizing. There were regular stops for toilets and at most of the stops we could buy water and quick snacks. After walking through the rain forest, we stopped to look for koalas and kids really enjoyed the bird feeding. We also tasted the Vegemite ice cream in the afternoon. And to cap off a very entertaining day, the Pizza in the dinner was a really delicious.
Overall, an excellent experience and would definitely recommend to everyone!
My partner and I took part in the Great Ocean Road Reverse tour. He is from Europe, and had lived in Melbourne for a year and never been down there (I am a local) but we didnt have a car so we took part in this tour on a recommendation from a work colleague of his. The tour was great as we missed a lot of the crowds. We could get picked up from the CBD (very early!). The food was ok, the guide was great.
5* hands down best tour ive done in OZ. Even in the rugged melbourne winter weather. just beautiful.